What information can you tell me about the plant and sea life of the caribbean?

Answer 1

Pretty dead dude! Go to the Philippines and see some real live coral!

Answer 2

That depends on where in the Caribbean. I come from Curacao, and there I can tell you that the plant life is mostly cactus and heat risistant plants that do not require much water, since it does not rain that often there. Where there are plants growing, it grows tick. I have had serious trouble a few times getting through sertain areas.
The sea life is still in pretty good shape. designated diving areas and plenty of fish and corrals to go aound. most areas along the coast are protected areas, so no construction is affecting the sea life.

But do remember that not all islands are the same

Answer 3

I'm living in such area and I had some interesting experiences as journalist and photographer for marine life and for monitoring reefs .Plus,I collaborated with some important american universities in marine researches in the area.

Your question "is a big" question and I think that I'll be not able to give a perfect answer.There is no space in this Yahoo for it.

The Caribbean sea was in better shape 30-40 years ago.
The building of hundred of resorts close to the sea destroied a lot of delicate marine environment.Not only in the sea but close to it too .I mean the coastal lagoons,mangroves.

-Nutrients from the agriculture,flowing in the sea from the rivers,increased the overgrowth of algae;sedimentation creates one problem more to the corals suffocating and killing them.
-Overfishing,in part fot the use of the locals and more for touristic use,put out of balance the environment in several areas.
-the global increasing of the sea temperature creates the "bleaching" of the corals.

As a result,few wild places remain still intact in such area.

For my knowledge , Belize,Cayman Islands,big parts of Cuba,Mexico,Bonaire & Curacao,and few others are still having their flora and marine fauna intact.

Jamaica,Dominican Republic,and other,are experiencing problems,more or less.
If you go in Internet,you can receive supplementary and more detailed information.Look for the research projects of the american universities in the Caribbean.

In my personal experience,I was luky to dive all around the Cuban sea,and I found (15 years ago) reefs still intact,virgin.
This was due to political reasons for which a lot of areas of that island were closed to uman activities for more than 30 years.
I've to say that the cubans are caring a lot about their sea and I found them well trained in preventing problems to their territory,sea included.

I hope to have been usefull with this my answer.
I apologize for my english.I'm Italian.
Regards,
N.M.

Answer 4

Briefly, it is in need of being protected.
We have lived in Barbados for 2 years and even in our time have noticed a huge difference in the reefs.
The locals tell of years ago when the reefs were alive with huge schools of fish and the shores littered with giant seas shells.
The food fish caught were twice the size they are now.
We still enjoy the reefs, and you do see lovely fish, but it is sad to see the coral dieing and the fish being over harvested and the increase in algae growth smothering the reefs.

Answer 5

Beautiful and fragile; do not disturb.